Freedonia Group: Granular Activated Carbon Has A Leg Up On Powdered Material

According to the Freedonia Group (Cleveland, OH), demand for activated carbon in the US will increase 5.4% annually to 440 million pounds by 2002. Total market value for this material will be just under $400 million.

Although liquid phase applications, particularly water treatment, account for the largest share of activated carbon demand, the most rapid gains will continue to be in gas phase applications. Over the past decade, commodity grade imports from the Asia/Pacific region have risen substantially, negatively affecting US-based producers and the regeneration segment. However, the influx of Asian imports will be offset by US exports of higher grade activated carbons and healthy US demand. These and other trends are presented in Activated Carbon, a new study from Freedonia, a Cleveland-based industrial market research firm.

Granular activated carbon (GAC) has slightly better growth prospects than powdered activated carbon (PAC), primarily due to its larger pore structure (which makes it particularly useful in gas phase applications) and its ability to be regenerated. GAC's ability to be regenerated has expanded its use in liquid phase applications such as water treatment and food and beverage processing. PAC, which generally cannot be regenerated, has nonetheless retained large volume applications, primarily in the processing of liquids.

The gas phase segment will experience stronger gains due to favorable prospects in all three of its major applications: air purification, solvent recovery and motor vehicle emission canisters. In particular, the use of AC in motor vehicle emission canisters will rise due to the initiation of stricter Environmental Protection Agency standards regarding automotive evaporative losses, which is scheduled to be fully implemented by the end of 1999. Opportunities are also arising in solvent recovery. Air purification applications will expand due to emerging opportunities in household and motor vehicle cabin air filtration units.

For more information: Corinne Gangloff, The Freedonia Group Inc., 767 Beta Drive, Cleveland, OH 44143-2326. Tel: 440-684-9600. Fax: 646-0484.